Knapsack.



Patented Sept. II, I900.

v. ISMEBDOFF.

KNAPSAGK. (Application mm m,- a, 1699.

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

No. 657,575. Patented septrll, I900.

V. SMERDOFF.

KNAPSACK.

(Application filed m a, 1899'. (llo llodel.) 2 Sh9BtS-.$h60f 2.

m: uonms Firms cow, morouma. WASNINGTON. n.0

UNITED STATES- VLADIMIR SMERDOFF,

PATENT (31 nch.

OF WARSAW, RUSSIA.

KNAPSACK.

submarines forming part of Letters Patent No. 657,575, dated septeihbe 11, mod. Application filed Ma 9, 1899. Serial No. 716,127. (no modeL To till whom it may concern: 1

Be it known that I, VLADIMIR SMERDOFF, lieutenant in the Volhynien Regiment of Life Guards, a subject of the Emperorof Russia, residing at Warsaw,in the Province of Poland, in the Empire of Russia, have invented certain neWand useful Improvements in Knapsacks;- andldo hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

A knapsack according to this invention is carried on the back by means of a strap passing from the right shoulder to the left hip and buckled together on the breast and is supported by the waist-belt by means of a hook, so that the Whole weight of the knap sack is transmitted to the left hip, and the right shoulder of the soldier. is thus completcly freed from Weight, which greatly facilitates the handling of the rifle or the sidearm. By means of an outwardly-arched plate the knapsack is kept away from the back of the soldier, so that air, cancirculate freely between the soldiers bodyand the knapsack.

Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings are respectively a back and a front elevation of such a knapsack. Fig. 3 isla horizontal section corresponding to the line A B of Fig. 5. Fig. 4: shows a soldier with his greatcoat on and carrying the knapsack and the tent-sheets crossed over his breast and back. Fig. 5 is a side view of the knapsack. Fig. 6 shows the closingarrangement, and Fig. 7 shows the carrying-hook in front and side view. Fig. 8 shows another example of a knapsackaccording to this invention somewhat different from that shown in Figs. 1 to 7.

The knapsack shown in Figs. 1 to 7, inclusive, comprises an oblong bag a, which in order that it may be as light as possible is made of black waterproof canvas or other suitable material, such as balloon-silk. The side y that is the farther from the soldiers back forms the cover and is secured by straps m and buckles z. The opposite side, which rests on the back,forms the bottom. The stifi ening at the ends is efiected by side pieces s.

, At the upper end of the knapsack, which is at the height of the right shoulder when being carried, there is fastened a strap 0, and at the lower end there is fastened a buckle e, in which is secured a strap d, on which are slid two cartridge-pouches for thirty cartridges each. On the other end of the strap (:1 there is provided a buckle f, by means of which the upper strap 0 is fastened on the mans breast and the knapsack on the back secured in place. One ofthe cartridgepouch'es g is provided with an oblique runner w, which when the knapsack itself is not carried is vertical and through which the waist-belt is then drawn, as hereinafter explained.

Onthe part of the knapsack which when theknapsack is wornis situated next to the mansback an outwardly-arched wooden plate 6 is held by two leather pockets k, whereby the knapsack is prevented from lying close to the back of the soldier, so that air can circulate freely between the knapsack and the back of the man. 1

q Close to the lower buckle e there is fastened a carrying-hook h, covered with leather, or a leather strip of similar dimensions, which, as the case may be, is hooked to the waist-belt or secured toit by means of a buckle M, Fig. 7.

Thus the whole weight of the knapsack is transferred to the left hip, and the right shoulder is completely freed from weight, which is a great advantage in shooting or using the side-arm.

A Theknapsack is closed by a covert, which extends over the upper perforated side portion 5 and is secured by means of a bucklestrap 1;. After'openingflthe cover the long side y can bethrowri back in the manner shown in Fig. 6 and then fastened by means of straps m and buckles 2. can thus be openedalong its entire length and at the top or only at the top by unbuckling thecovert.

. The knapsack, which is closed by .two or more little straps m, is provided at the upper and at the lower end with four leather run- .ners 0, through which are drawn two-straps n, of which the upperone may be broader and longer than the lowerone and by means of The knapsack XCD which the spare shoes kept in the bags I), the I i for carrying more luggage, the sxampleshowu around them, and the tent-pegs qare buckled firmly to the knapsack. On the upper side of'the boot-bags runners can also be provided in order to keep the straps n secure and in place.

In Fig. 4 the soldier isshown as carrying (in addition to the knapsacka) thetent-sheets fromthe left shoulder to the right hip. In

this case the spare shoes are not carried in the bags b on the outside of the knapsack a, but

. in the tent-cloth, to which also the tent-poles pand the tent-pegsqarebuckle'd OT'SGCIIXSd- -by means of the tent-ropes, as shown. a The knapsack is thrown over the right shoulder in such a manner that the concave pouches 9 alone are to be carried and the knapsack a is to be laid aside, the upperstrap 1 n, which is made broader and longer for the faste'nings at f and e is secured at one 'en'd to f the buckle f and at the other end by means I opposite ends thereof and adapted to-be' con- Irect'edi n' front of the body, pockets secured to-t'he-inner 'sideof saidreceptacle, an'alche'd purpose, is unbuckled and after loosening the,

of'its own buckle to the strap d. The cartridge-pouch strap d-nthu's lengthenedis also I carried from the rig-ht shoulder to the left hip,

' what larger.

and the waist-belt is drawn through thecartridge-p'ouch runner e In order to-prevent the upper en dolf the knapsack from striking against the right shoulder While running,there may be drawn through between the plate tend the" k'nap sack, or so as 'to engage with the strapm' which holds theupper of the two shoebags b, a narrow strap, which isbrought; to the front under the arm-pits and buck'ledon the 'brea'st- When this strap is inu'se, itc'andrawn, together with the strap that holds the upperboot-bag, through the runner-that 1; holds the latter and which is mad-esortie-f If -a knapsack is required that can show erred for carrying less In gg'age and lengthened 'to this,inveutiouare reat lightness, an ea way of ,carrying; :which ssmpisaiyrreest e soldiers rig'htslioulderfrorh weight bytra s- -f erring the load to left hi-pgl and 'free ctr- J: a.lrtlcl l e securedtoitsopposite end,

1 "-.r ;r;'h se i 'sm xdm i m' up store a irhe; leatherv pocket; k, while thel" '5 5 ower, and} o'ther, gothatf the length or the in- The dvantagies jof ajkna'psack heordih culation. of air" between. the knapsack and thebac-k of. the man.

I claim I 1., A knapsack to be carried obliquely across the back of the body, comprising an I oblong flexible receptacle closed at one end The a only, the outer side of" said receptacle constituting a cover therefor, a cover for the open end oi the receptacle, straps secured to the opposite ends thereof, means for connecting said straps in front of the body and an arched i platesecu red to the inner: si'deof said receptacle, for the purpose set. forth.

A --knapsack to be carried obliquely across the back of, the body, comprising an oblong flexiblegrece-ptacie closed at one end only, the outer side ofsai-d receptacle forming a cover therefor-and for it's open end, straps securedto opposite ends of the receptacle, means for'con-nectingthe straps in frontofthebody, and an archedplate secured to the inner side's-f said receptacle, for the purpose-s'etfbr th. t i 3. A knapsack to carried obliquely aerossthe back of' the body comprising an oblong flexible receptacle closed at one end ohly, the outerisideofsaid receptaclec'onstituti'n'g a cover therefor, and for. the open-ed end of the receptacle,- strapssecured to the 173.016 for supporting it from the'wai'st-belt,

. substantially as specified.

4. A knapsack to be carried obliquely I the-outerrside of said eceptacle con tituting [a cover therefor, straps secured to the opposi'te ends thereof and adapted l'QUbB' 'GOH-IIGOTJ- the inner side of the receptacle, an arched plate heldiusaid' ockets, supplemental receptacles mounted oneach end of thegm ain receptacle, straps for securing said supplemanner sms-ales and; runners for holding fortheypu'rpose specified; k v 5. A; knapsack to: be carri said in position", substantially as and her es the bucket the: body, comprising an omen-g receptacle providedwith strap-loo s a moi-out points, straps secured to-opposite shes: of the receptacle and missusifor'conaeross 'theback of" the body corn-p rising 'an oblongfiexi'blereceptacle closed at one end only,

ed obliquely v nectihgisaid amp inffront of the body, in

. combination with shoe-- holdersand straps psssi'hg t hrough'th aforesaid loops on the rece i eleftor'stra'ppin-g'said holders thereto at 'r'entfpoints; of-itslength, substahtiallyas p "ck to be" carried aobliquely thehaok of the body, comprisingan. oblong-"receptacle, a strap securedtoohe end a strap d connected at one end With said buckle and having a buckle at the opposite end, cartridge-pouches threaded on strap (1, one of said pouches having an oblique straploop, said receptacle provided with straploops 9 and straps'qi held and guided thereby, one of said straps wider than the other, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. A knapsack to be carried obliquely across the back of the body comprising an oblong receptacle, a strap secured to one end thereof, a buckle securedto its opposite end, a strap (1 connected at one end with said buckle and having a buckle at the opposite end, cartridge-pouches threaded on strap d,

VLADIMIR SMERDO FF.

Witnesses:

' WEADYSLAW ZAUIAWsSI, ALEBSAUVER MoRozEn'IR. 

